The invention relates to the field of toilet seats, and more particularly to a hinge for securing the toilet seat and cover which is adaptable to different seats and different toilets.
Currently toilet seats and seat covers are connected to two hinges which are each secured to the toilet bowl by a threaded bolt which extends through a hole provided in the bowl and is secured by a nut. The bolts may either be integral with the seat hinge or may be separate and extend through holes in the seat hinge. It is therefore difficult to replace or substitute a seat or cover with a different seat or cover since the entire hinge assembly must generally be replaced. Further, different manufacturers may use different spacing for the hinges and bolt holes, so seats are not interchangeable among manufacturers. A specialized toilet seat, such as the Combination Toilet Seat disclosed in the present inventor""s U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,781 may be suitable for one manufacturer""s toilet bowl but may not fit another""s. There is therefore a need for a toilet seat hinge which allows different seats to be quickly replaced or substituted and which will adapt to different manufacturers"" bowls.
The present invention provides a toilet seat hinge which allows different seats to be quickly replaced or substituted and which will adapt to different manufacturers"" bowls. This is accomplished by providing removable hinge pins to secure the seat to the hinge, and adjustable connections from the hinge base to the toilet bowl. The base of the hinge may also be integral with the toilet bowl.